Making Our Own Luck

By Paul Yung

Gong Xi Fa Cai and Happy Chinese New Year to all who celebrate this auspicious occasion!

Regardless of our beliefs, I wish all of you a healthy, prosperous and lucky year ahead!

In Chinese custom, luck is held sacred, ingrained deep into our culture and beliefs

There are lucky symbols, lucky numbers, lucky cats and lucky timings for us to open our offices. Chinese luck is frequently equated to wealth or fortune, because, well, Chinese love money. But then again, don’t we all?

Many fear that breaking any of these traditions would bring bad luck to themselves, their business or worse their families too. *GASP* It’s no wonder that most people follow these traditions to the tee, spending freely to ensure the highest towers of offerings, the most auspicious symbols of the year in their homes and offices and other superstitions to set up the most fortunate and wealthy year ahead

Whilst I partake in many of these traditions myself, I have learnt over the years that we can, and must, make our own luck. Luck, in my opinion, is the intersection where preparation meets opportunity. Think striking the lottery, I’m sure most of us would consider that as good luck. We still have to buy a ticket (preparation) to have a chance of winning (opportunity).

In the first 6 months of 2020, Netflix had 28 million additional subscribers, more than the 25 million they added in the entire 2019, and a majority of the additional subscribers coming from Asia Pacific. Other statistics show a significant increase in screen time on social media channels YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Whilst there is nothing wrong with the occasional Netflix or social media binge, we could be using this time to upskill ourselves for the new economy.

We have to prepare ourselves to adapt to the rise of e-commerce, social selling and mobile payments. Amidst the doom and gloom, businesses that have upskilled and adapted to this changing economy have thrived; from home-based businesses such as baking and cooking, to online and offline hybrid sessions. I’ve recently heard about a personal trainer who does online training and sends weekly food prep to her clients. Brilliant!

Upskill and prepare yourself for new opportunities! According to Similarweb, the top 5 most popular online course categories in 2020 are Programming and Developing Software, Computer Electronics and Technology, News and Media, Education and Social Networks and Online Communities.

There are an abundant of online course platforms. My favorites are Coursera, EdX and Udemy. I have also taken courses from Oxford’s Saïd Business School and Harvard as well, although those are pricier. For starters, go to YouTube to learn more about your interest.

I invite you to attend our weekly Zoom Business Presentations to discover what our company offers. They are free and non-obligatory and would give you insights to how our business functions and how you could build a business with PM International. Globally,

PM increased revenue by 50% to USD 1.72 Billion in 2020 compared to USD 1.11 Billion in 2019. Have a look first hand at what our company is doing to achieve this increase for as the saying goes “success leaves clues” and

Previously I mentioned that PM International Malaysia has conducted almost 200 zooms in 2020. This year we will be having public health seminars monthly on a different health topic that is free and open to the public. We believe that this public service zooms are important to educate the public on how to take care of our health during lockdown.

Whether you choose to attend our zoom meetings or not, I am a firm believer in the need to upskill and prepare ourselves to adapt to the new economy. Opportunities are abundant for those with the right skills. Remember, luck is at the intersection of preparation and opportunity. The more prepared we are, the more “good luck” we’re setting ourselves up for. Huat Ah!